The silly season is knocking and for many it’s already here, sweeping in its crowd of food and drink infused events and stuffing jammed calendars with additional commitments.

Personal schedules carefully curated to maintain health, energy and mental clarity can suffer and even the firmest intentions go awry, lingering well into the new year as we deservedly stop to smell the pudding.

So how do members of our Flinders community deal with the indulge/maintain conundrum? Is balance a myth other than for the most legendary iron persons among us?

FiT sat down with two employees who have made health a priority in busy lives (and each maintained a 25kg+ weight loss over several years), together with surf star Associate Professor Claire Drummond to expose the realities of balancing health throughout the festive folly.

Steve Butler and Jill Smith worked together for many years in Information and Digital Services at Flinders. Now in separate teams, they cross paths a couple of times a week at Flinders Sport and Fitness ‘Fit Forever’ classes, targeted at people over 40.

Mr Butler, a Senior Integration Specialist at Flinders, also fits in weekly Pilates and a Park Run on Saturday mornings.

“It took so much work to lose the weight over 9-12 months, so keeping it off is important,” he says. “It’s a lot easier to maintain!”

The key for him is routine. “I was never one for the gym before, but seven years ago I was determined to lose weight, so I developed a routine and quickly noticed my fitness improving.”

So what happens when that convenient routine is disrupted over Christmas / New Year?

“I’m fortunate to live nearby at Happy Valley and the gym’s group classes continue right up to 22 December, then there’s still the 24/7 access so my routine might vary a bit but I’ll keep up activities across the break, including some walks and runs at home.”

Mr Butler won’t refuse the odd Christmas treat, but won’t be overindulging either.

“I still have a burger and beer here and there” he says. “For me it really is about balance. That’s a choice I make.”

IDS Project Manager Jill Smith agrees routine is key.

“I started Fit Forever classes four years ago, and they are not negotiable for me, I have been going every Tuesday and Thursday religiously,” she says.

“Just recently, I started going to gym every day on the way home from work. I make it a habit to do something every day, then when I get home my exercise is all done.”

Ms Smith also embraces the University’s Health and Wellbeing program and Flinders Sport and Fitness initiates, including the Flinders Cup, Bupa Team Challenge and five-week free yoga initiative  – which inspired her to include weekly yoga in her gym routine.

Her enthusiasm is influencing colleagues, to the extent she was awarded the ‘Bupa Wellness Warrior’ this year for encouraging people to get out and participate.

Like Mr Butler, she enjoys a weekly Park Run, which is looking to extend into Christmas Day this year. “Our family have all been doing the Park Runs and there is one on Christmas Day along the Torrens, so we might do that in the morning.”

She’ll also be keeping some walking up over the holiday period, but won’t be going to gym as she doesn’t live close.

“During the break I’ll do some walks with my family instead, we like to walk in the hills or beach.”

She says keeping up her exercise will also ensure she eats better – “for me it goes hand in hand.”

How do these plans stack up in the eyes of Associate Professor Claire Drummond, surf lifesaving champion, coach and high performance lead for Surf Lifesaving SA and head of Exercise Science/Clinical Exercise Physiology programs at Flinders?

“Both Jill and Steve mentioned the two ‘golden’ words when talking about their physical activity levels – ‘habit’ and routine!” Associate Professor Drummond says.

“Participating in regular physical activity should belong in everyone’s day alongside sleeping and eating. And it doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment either. Regular bursts of activity as little as 10 minutes a day could be all it takes to increase fitness, as long as these are of a high intensity – ie, you should aim to increase your heart rate.

“It is all about making it part of your routine like Jill and Steve have done. This works particularly well when it is activity that can be done with family or friends.”

Associate Professor Drummond notes regular physical activity is about more than fitness, with all the evidence suggesting it helps lower stress and is good for mental health.

“Certainly, as we lead into Christmas, everyone could do with a stress-free time,” she says.

“Eating well and exercising should not take over your life, but there should be a good balance – this means that it is ok to over-indulge, just make sure it doesn’t take over the routine that you have built!”

And will Associate Professor Drummond’s own routine change much over the Christmas period?

The short answer is no – largely due to a regular commitment running her two border-collies.

“With the surf season in full mode and the Bay Sheffield just around the corner, there is a limited time to relax in any case,” she says.

“But over the Christmas period, there is definitely more down time and the pace slows! Spending a relaxed Christmas with the family is a great time to look forward to – along with our traditional Christmas brunch!”